Which american romantic writer used criticism to encourage his contemporaries to publish their best work?

Edgar Alan Poe was one of the first American literary critics. He evaluated many other works, including Nathaniel Hawthorn's, and believed that writing should be meaningful and should inspire the reader.

Answer: Nathaniel Hawthorne

Nathaniel Hawthorne is an American romantic writer who used criticism in his own works and his contemporaries to encourage them to publish their best work. His criticisms in his own work are found in the prefaces of his books. His critical attitude toward other authors like Shakespeare, Scott, Browning is read in his books.